


Never Gonna Dance

by pickyourselfupfred



Series: Fred and Ginger forever [15]
Category: Astaire/Rogers RPF, Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers Movies
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-21
Updated: 2015-01-21
Packaged: 2018-03-08 12:39:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3209546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickyourselfupfred/pseuds/pickyourselfupfred
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Swing Time comes towards the end and they film their wonderful dance. I could watch this over and over because the love simply oozes off the screen. Fred is marvellously touching when he sings and if I'd been Penny there's no way I'd have walked away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Gonna Dance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [OldMoviesAreIt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OldMoviesAreIt/gifts), [Samantha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samantha/gifts).



The final part of shooting on ‘Swing Time’ waited on the construction of the Silver Sandal set. Ginger and Fred had seen models of the design but when they saw the finished set they were enchanted. The designer had outdone himself – it was luxurious with all the glamour of Art Deco – whites, blacks and silver – a real treat for the eye. There was an unusually large dance area and Fred got excited thinking about how he could expand their dances he had planned for this setting.

After some dialogue scenes they prepared for filming ‘Waltz in Swing Time’. They’d loved rehearsing the dance and with these extra tweaks from Fred, Ginger thought it one of the most joyous routines he’d ever planned. They were confident they could get it in one take although George would probably ask for at least one more.

Fred snuck up behind her when she came down from wardrobe.  
‘Hello beautiful. I love you in pink’.  
‘Thanks Fred. Is that why you bought me that pink gown?’  
‘Yeah – and it showed a bit more of you than this one’.  
‘This is for dancing and swirling and being as light as a ‘  
‘Feather’, he interrupted.  
She laughed, ‘We got a bit naughty rehearsing this dance’.  
‘Think about it baby and every time I look at you you’ll remember something we did!’  
‘I might forget the steps if I did that’.  
‘You won’t and you will’.  
He gave her a light kiss as they were called to start blocking.

The first take went perfectly. The steps came from memory but they danced for each other. There was almost incandescence to the routine – their eyes had a special sparkle, every gesture relaxed and loving and when in hold their bodies fused like one. Everyone was stunned by their magic. They’d danced for joy and not just for a movie but because they existed to dance together. And when they danced nothing mattered in the whole world but the love they had for each other. As the dance finished they stood, still in hold, breathing in the same air. Their eyes were fixed on the eyes of the other and there was no need for words. They were oblivious to the claps of an appreciative audience until Pan rushed up and said, ‘That was absolute dynamite’.  
They relaxed and smiled.  
‘One take wonders, that’s us’, said Fred.  
George thought so too.  
‘I think we got it on that first take but I’d like to do one more for safety’.  
The looks they exchanged said it all – we were perfect and we’ve still got to do it again.  
‘Still it’ll be fun to dance it all over’, giggled Ginger.

They wrapped after this and couldn’t wait to get home to celebrate in the way they liked best.

George had discussed with them both his thoughts on the nightclub scene where they were going to perform ‘Never Gonna Dance’. Explaining that he wanted to wring people’s hearts by showing the pain of the split between the two lovers, he asked Fred to create that in the dance. Consequently although Fred had the bare bones of the routine George scheduled extra rehearsal period for them both whilst the set was redressed for the next number. Fred talked about the dance as they lay together one evening.  
‘It’s a lot like us isn’t it Gin’, he said sadly, ‘marrying other people through misunderstandings’.  
‘I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like never to see you again’.  
Little did they know the seeds of their sadness would create an unforgettable dance.

With the extra sessions Fred came up with lots of additions to the routine. He and Ginger, along with Pan, had discussed how to show the heartache of separation in a dance and had come up with the idea of telling a story as the routine progressed. Sure they’d done something like that with ‘Let’s Face the Music’ but that was in a stage show, here it was the two protagonists and their real feelings. They planned each section of the dance, the initial dejection from imminent separation, a natural movement into tenderness before parting, the fierce desire of their love reawakened, the happiness of past dances and finally the utter despair of the final goodbye. The dance would create real drama for them both and show they could do something other than light and fluffy romances. It would also lay bare all the emotions the two of them had experienced in reality when they thought their love was lost.

They rehearsed with more intensity than they had ever done – determined to make this the absolute pinnacle of their work. It meant long, long hours and late nights. When they returned home they hardly ate before tumbling exhausted, emotionally and physically, into bed. Their only rest was their warm breath against each other’s cheek and the touch of their hands as they slept.

The day before shooting they worked alone on the vast sound stage that contained the set. They didn’t want anyone around, just themselves, their own thoughts and company. They went through the routine, they sat and talked, they hugged and kissed and were completely absorbed into the characters they were creating.

They left the studio early. There was nothing else they could do now. Both were unusually silent on the way home and, having arrived, went straight through to their bedroom. They undressed without speaking and stood close together – hand in hand, eyes fixed on each other. Fred ran his fingers up over her arms to her shoulders and pulled her face into his neck. She wrapped her arms about him and they slowly moved in a swaying dance. Then he lifted her head and kissed her softly, then with more passion, his tongue running lightly over her teeth. They still couldn’t take their eyes from one another. The kiss intensified but remained tender. They moved to the bed where Fred began to suckle at Ginger’s breasts like a small child. She held his head, as gently as you would a newborn, until he looked up again.

Still they didn’t speak and they always talked. She lay alongside him – belly to belly – and gazed at him with loving eyes. Now they began their lovemaking. He drew his hand along her inner thighs, changing pressure as he moved. He loosely twisted the hair down there as she wrapped her leg over his body. His fingers moved to part and penetrate her and she pushed against him. Soon her whole body moved to the rhythm of his movements. Even as she came to orgasm she didn’t make a sound, just looking at him, still transfixed by his eyes.

She moistened her hand with her own juices and wrapped it around his erection. Sliding it slowly up and down she squeezed intermittently and lightly rubbed it’s tip. When she sensed he could take no more she allowed him into her body, tightening around him as he moved. They rocked together gently until he came inside her – still silent. He lay there, as long as possible before withdrawing. They kissed again, lightly like angel’s breath, then simultaneously said, ‘I love you’.

The dance was very beautiful, this they knew, but everything conspired against them. From the first take cameras jammed, sun arcs exploded, playback stopped. There was an endless stream of problems. After the first ten takes were aborted Fred had to change his shirt, make up had to be re-applied and hair adjusted. More incidents continued to happen and after thirty takes they both sat on the set totally exhausted. George came over, ‘Look I can piece something together from what you’ve done so far. We can edit out mistakes’.  
Both Ginger and Fred were determined – this was their finest dance and damned if they were going to give in yet.  
‘You still up for it Gin?’  
‘Yeah, come on’.

Somehow the gremlins stopped for this take until Fred started his spins on the staircase. With the heat and the sweat his toupee had become detached and lifted from his head.  
‘Cut’, shouted George and Fred thumped his hand down on the step in total frustration as Ginger came to his side.  
‘Goddamn toupee’.  
‘It’s ok Fred, we can keep going’.  
George came over.  
‘Look you two, take a break, just half an hour then we’ll try again’.  
They retreated to Fred’s dressing room.  
‘God, Gin, what the hell is happening?’  
‘I don’t know, everything seems to be against us’.  
She comforted him as best she could but knew, like herself, he was too much a perfectionist and problems like this would rile him more than mistakes of his own. She was very tired and her feet were very sore but she had no intention of telling Fred. She pulled him to his feet.  
‘Come on old man’.

Miraculously the next take went without a hitch and the relief was palpable in the studio. Now all that remained were for the cameras to be moved to the upper part of the set where they would complete the final section of the routine. This was very difficult – a series of very fast spins for Ginger and tricky steps. They were very tired but knowing the costs of shooting both felt they had to carry on. Maybe they’d be lucky and get this routine finished quickly now.

To their horror everything crashed about them again. Equipment started to fail and as the crew lost concentration silly errors were made causing filming to stop. It was now in the early hours of the next day. They had danced, off and on, for nearly twelve hours and had they been counting the next take would be number forty-seven. George went over to them.  
‘I’m calling it now. You’re both exhausted, the crew are tired. We’ll pick up again tomorrow’.  
They both were vehement.  
‘No way’, Ginger said.  
We’ll carry on’.  
‘Ok but just one more take then that’s it’.  
Fred turned to Ginger and wearily hugged his partner.  
‘Come on baby, we can do this – together’.

They dragged themselves to position and waited for playback. They were bone weary but wanted this so much for each other. The camera rolled and the dance began – and finally the take was completed. The shouts and applause from the crew were deafening. Sure all of them were working hard, but these two were incredible. Ginger limped back to sit by Fred.  
‘Ginge, you ok?’  
He looked at her shoes; a line of pink was rising up the side of her satin shoes.  
‘I’ll be glad to get these shoes off’, she sighed.  
Then Fred saw the full extent of the damage. Both feet were bleeding, bits of shredded skin here and there and her nails were ragged.  
‘God Gin, what have I done?’  
‘Nothing – it’s just a combination of spins and wet sweaty shoes’.  
‘For God’s sake why didn’t you tell me? I’d have stopped the shoot’.  
‘It was more important to get it in the can and besides they’ll heal’.  
Fred was distraught. His choreography and perfectionism had caused Ginger pain and distress. He knelt down and held her feet.  
‘You’ll get blood on your suit Fred’.  
‘Damn the blood. Let’s get you fixed up’.  
First aid was called and her feet were strapped. He carried her back to her dressing room – no way was anyone else going to get near her. He put her down gently on the day bed and helped her change. He gave her a glass of water and said, ‘I’m just going to get my things then we’re going home. George owes us a big favour so I’ll tell him we’re taking the week off. He did promise he’d fix things for us’.  
When he kicked off his own shoes he found his feet were also in a pretty bad way. He knew they hurt but it was nothing compared to his sorrow over Ginger. They got home and collapsed together in bed where they instantly fell asleep hand in hand.

A week away from studio pressure did them a power of good. George had reassured them there was no rush. They could relax and more importantly let their feet heal. Fred was most solicitous and spoiled Ginger rotten but was aware she bore him no grudge – it was part and parcel of their job. Rest and each other’s company gave them the boost necessary to go back to the studio for the filming of the dialogue and song for ‘Never Gonna Dance’.

When they came back to the soundstage, dressed and ready to go, Ginger turned to Fred pulling a face.  
‘For Heaven’s sake don’t suggest dancing here’.  
‘Don’t even think about it’, he replied with a huge grin.  
Having blocked their movements for the scene, Ginger was surprised when he pulled her to one side before shooting began.  
‘You won’t believe this Gin but I’m scared’.  
‘Why Fred?’  
‘I’ve never done something so serious before. I don’t know if I can pull it off. You’re so good an actress but I’m just a hoofer’.  
‘Trust me Fred – you can do anything you put your mind to and I know you can do this’.  
She was amazed that he was so lacking in confidence and wondered how she could help him. She had an idea.  
‘Darling when you speak as Lucky think of us in real life. Imagine you’ll never see me again however much you love me. Make it from the heart and it’ll be alright.’  
‘What an awful image to put in my mind – never to see you again’.  
‘Just for the scene Fred, not for life’.  
He so wanted to kiss her right then but settled for a squeeze of her hand.

She was right of course. Fred gave a brilliant performance. Having put the thought in his mind he was genuinely anguished when they started the dialogue and they were both trembling with love for each other as the scene progressed. When she had to say, ‘Does she dance very beautifully’, he drew on all the emotions he had ever felt for her so when she gave the line his reply was not in character really at all, ‘ Yes, very’.  
He looked at her with such love in his eyes that that she almost couldn’t carry on. By the time he completed the dialogue, ‘I’ve danced with you. I’m never gonna dance again’, Ginger’s hands were shaking with emotion and her eyes were filled with tears.

For both of them the word ‘Cut’ was the release of all restraint. Fred embraced her and she responded with a deep loving kiss that stopped everyone in their tracks. For most people watching it was simply a confirmation of everything they suspected. George rescued them from an embarrassing situation by thinking on his feet. As they separated he shouted, ‘Hey you guys. I guess you didn’t hear cut. You’ve forgotten I told you that kiss was out’.  
Fred silently blessed him.  
‘Sorry George, we thought it was playing as originally rehearsed’.  
‘No’, he grinned, ‘Kissing is out until the end’.  
Actually they fooled no one but all the goodwill they had built up over the years would pay off for them in a big way and nobody blabbed.

‘Wow, that was tough’, she said when they were alone.  
‘I know what you mean Gin – my mind kept running on what you’d said’.  
‘I thought you were really great, but then you weren’t really acting were you?’  
‘ You do dance very beautifully’.  
‘I’m sorry I couldn’t resist kissing you’.  
‘Don’t resist. Like I’ve said before, here, among friends, I don’t care’.  
‘Do you think we’ll get through the song?’  
‘We will’, he chuckled. Privately he thought he might just break down having to sing about their separation but it was better to keep it light hearted now. If he got too serious God only knew what might happen.

The song went well of course and the longing for each other was apparent amidst all the acting. For an amazing thing had happened – their personal good and bad times had given them an acting experience and an outpouring of emotion that cemented their love for all time. And as Fred kissed and loved her that night she had one line running through her head, a lyric of great resonance for them both – ‘For all I really want is you’.


End file.
